Application forms

Description

An application form is a structured form developed by the company offering
the job, which the candidate completes. This may be in addition to a
résumé, or as a replacement. Résumés may, when
application forms are required, be 'optional'.

Supplemental application forms

A supplemental application form does not replace a résumé. It seeks
additional information in specific areas that are shaped by the key criteria
you are seeking. For example, you might ask about experience of working in
teams, or even ask them to write a short piece about their views of the dynamics
of your marketplace.

Replacement application forms

A form that replaces a résumé must gather all information that is required,
including contact information, job history, personal statements and education,
as well as any specialized job-related information you require.

Development

Development of a supplemental application form starts with a good
job analysis, from which key
criteria which are to be sought are extracted and parts of the form designed
whereby data may be reliably gathered.

Design of the form should be to include clear instructions such that the
candidate is in no doubt about what is required in each field. This may include
check boxes of various forms for basic facts (e.g. male/female or a checklist
for computer application skills), single-line fields for short items such as
their name, and larger boxes for free-format descriptions, such as descriptions
of their responsibilities in various jobs.

If the form is to be on paper, then standard graphic design principles should
be used, such as clear use of space, fitting coherent sets of information on a
single side of paper, etc. If the form is for use on the web, then web design
principles should be used, such as coping with resizing of windows, clear
'submit' button, etc.

Discussion

Application forms are very popular, being used by 93% of UK firms (Shackleton
and Newell, 1991), and have found increasing popularity with the web (Park, 1999
and Reed, 2002), where online completion of forms eases data capture and ensures
standardization.

The application form is the recruiter's rebuttal to the résumé, providing
them with an initial selection tool that can be used to create a short-list
based on what is required by the job rather than what the applicant chooses to
tell.

Application forms are finite, and long forms are likely to put off some
candidates (although this may be of benefit to put off the casual applicant).

Application forms used a great deal on the web and facilitate automated
filtering, where a job may have many applicants and individual sections may be
scanned for specific key words (such as qualifications or experience).

Application forms, like CVs, are self-reports and hence may are open to
impression management and other forms of faking, and hence ‘factual’ information
should be treated with care.

A sharp candidate will take good note of the application form, as it often
hints at (or even shouts about) the key criteria that the recruiting company is
seeking.

Design of Application Forms must take care about legal constraints. If there
is any legal challenge to the application process, the motivation for any item
in the application form could be challenged. Both the language and content of
application forms thus needs to be carefully screened for bias and sensitivity.
For example if ethnic background is being questioned, then there must be a
legitimate reason for this (and the wording must also be ‘politically correct’).

See also

Shackleton, V. and Newell, S. (1991). ‘Management selection: A comparative
study survey of methods used in top British and French companies’, Journal of
Occupational and Organizational Psychology, vol.64, pp.23-36

Park’s Guide (1999). Graduates in the eyes of employers, London, Park
HR and The Guardian